TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

Aaronson interactively maps Texas Medicaid providers, Aguilar talks legalization with the head of the Drug Policy Alliance, Galbraith on farmers watering what they know won't grow, Grisson sits down with exoneree Michael Morton, Hamilton on the elusive $10,000 college degree, Murphy et al. update the 2012 election brackets, Ramsey on Bill Ratliff's frank budget analysis, Ramshaw on a hospital where the overweight need not apply, Root on Joe Straus' primary opponent and Tan rounds up reactions to the Supreme Court's health care hearings: The best of our best content from March 26-30, 2012.

Where do Texas Medicaid patients go for health services? This interactive map shows where the state's most active Medicaid providers are located in Texas and the number of county residents who were enrolled in Medicaid in fiscal year 2010.

Ethan Nadelmann, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, on how drug policies are making Texas’ criminal justice system “horrific,” and who has the most to gain and lose by amending current drug policies.

By mid-summer last year, it was so hot and dry that many West Texas cotton farmers gave up hope of producing a crop. Yet they had to keep watering, pumping from diminishing aquifers like the Ogallala, to claim crop insurance.

“Life is really, really good,” said Michael Morton, who was exonerated in the 1986 murder of his wife. He tells the Tribune of his ordeal and his newfound freedom.

The announcement earlier this month that a bachelor’s degree was available at Texas A&M University-San Antonio for less than $10,000 was met with understandable enthusiasm. But it may only be available for a very small group.

Our updated 2012 election brackets include the latest changes and fixes to the lists of candidates who have filed with the Texas secretary of state's office, and the best look yet at the political year ahead.

A Republican former lieutenant governor laments the cuts in public education spending and the Legislature's reliance on borrowing and accounting tricks to balance the state budget.

A Victoria hospital already embroiled in a racial discrimination lawsuit has instituted a highly unusual hiring policy: It bans job applicants from employment for being too overweight.

Last year, opponents of Speaker Joe Straus urged House members to eject him from his powerful job at the Capitol. This time, they are trying to defeat him the traditional way — at the ballot box.

Here's a final roundup of Texas reactions to the last day of the U.S. Supreme Court's historic hearings on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Texas Tribune donors or members may be quoted or mentioned in our stories, or may be the subject of them. For a complete list of contributors, click here.

Get The Brief

Comment Policy

The Texas Tribune is pleased to provide the opportunity for you to share your observations about this story. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask that you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or wandering away from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of the Tribune, and your real name will be displayed. Thanks for taking time to offer your thoughts.